Vinted Launches in Canada! Europe's Foremost Online C2C Platform for Second-Hand Clothes Puts Pre-Loved Fashion at Your Fingertips
TORONTO, May 25, 2021 /CNW/ - The fashion resale revolution is starting today in Canada with the arrival of Vinted, Europe's leading online C2C marketplace dedicated to second-hand fashion. After great success in Europe and with the purpose of empowering more people to shift their habits towards circular fashion, Vinted takes a step outside its home continent and launches its second-hand fashion platform in Canada. Consumers from Vancouver to Montreal will now be able to conveniently and easily trade their pre-loved clothes and accessories with each other.
With a growing community of 45 million members spanning 13 markets, Vinted's mission is to make second-hand the first choice worldwide and encourage people to keep their clothes in circulation longer. With its easy and free-to-use app (iOS and Android), Vinted is now also enabling people in Canada to buy and sell apparel and accessories they have loved but no longer use, thus giving them a second life. With its unique product and services, the platform facilitates interactions between its members, so they can trade their pre-loved fashion for women, men and kids from the convenience of their smartphones.
According to research conducted by Vinted*, over a third of Canadians already purchased pre-loved fashion items, and more than half of the respondents who didn't would consider buying or selling second-hand fashion online. For 45% of the respondents, the key driver to sell pre-owned items is the desire to repurpose rather than throw them away. The financial aspect of earning extra money also ranks as one other important factor. The top drivers to buy pre-loved fashion are similarly getting more items for the same budget while acting more sustainably. Vinted's arrival into Canada is a logical reflection of the country's growing trend towards more sustainable and conscious consumerism, connected to easy and affordable solutions.
"To us, Canada is a great market fit, and an exciting next milestone on our mission to make second-hand fashion the first choice worldwide," says Thomas Plantenga, Vinted CEO. "We know that Canadians are increasingly interested in the circular economy or considering trading second-hand apparel in the next months, thus reducing their fashion footprint for the greater good. We also see that the motivations to buy and sell pre-owned fashion are similar to those of our European markets, so we're confident that the benefits and convenience of Vinted will translate."
Resting at the intersection of tech and circular economy, Vinted is a modern approach to the buy-and-sell marketplace that puts its members first. Consistent with Vinted's European model, Canadian members can register for free and easily upload their pre-loved fashion items to Vinted's user-friendly, C2C platform. As sellers, Vinted members can keep 100% of their profit with no extra fees, while as buyers they are provided a buyer protection plan (5% of the item's price plus a fixed fee of $1.10 CAD), entitling them to competitively-priced shipping options, customer support and an integrated payment system with verified payment methods and secured transactions.
"Through the Vinted app, Canadians can conveniently declutter their closets, make some extra money and revamp their wardrobes, while promoting circular fashion. We worked hard to bring this unique user experience and new level of services to Canada," comments Sjuul Berden, Vinted Expansion Product Director. "The app combines all necessary services from search to list, discuss and trade in a safe environment, empowering our members to change their shopping habits for the better. It translates our vision to make second hand not only a responsible choice but also a democratic and practical one."
But the launch of Canada as Vinted's newest market also marks a turning point for the company, which has focused its expansion on European markets in recent years. Earlier this month, the company raised €250 million, to support new market expansion and investment in product and people, as consumer shift towards the circular economy accelerates. "We have been strengthening our presence in Europe these past years but our company's mission has always been to promote and increase second-hand fashion across the globe. That includes offering this opportunity to more people also beyond Europe, as we feel we now have a solid user proposition, suitable to more markets. The expansion to Canada brings us one step further", reports Thomas Plantenga.
Vinted is now available in Canada and easily accessible for download on iOS and Android via the app stores. You can also visit vinted.ca.
*quantitative survey run by Vinted in December 20208 in Canada, with a representative sample of >1500 respondents aged 18 to 55. |
About Vinted
Vinted is the largest online international C2C marketplace in Europe dedicated to second-hand fashion, with a growing member base of over 45 million users spanning 14 markets: France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Luxembourg, UK, the USA, and Canada. Founded in 2008 in Lithuania by Milda Mitkute and Justas Janauskas, and joined by first investor and COO Mantas Mikuckas in 2011, the company is now led by CEO Thomas Plantenga and backed by six leading venture capital firms: EQT Growth, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Insight Venture Partners, Burda Principal Investments, and Sprints Capital. On a mission to make second-hand the first choice worldwide, Vinted helps members sell and buy second-hand clothes and accessories from each other, making shopping a mobile and social experience through one-on-one member interactions in its community. The European start-up is head-quartered in Vilnius, with offices in Berlin, Utrecht and Prague and has over 700 employees.
SOURCE Vinted
Alexandria Horvat-Becevello, Account Manager - 1Milk2Sugars Communications, [email protected], 416-506-5000 x 204
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